In vending services today, the opportunity for adaptability is limited. Typical vending today happens with independent vending machines placed in specific locations. These vending machines are then serviced independently over a number of months/years, all while remaining in the same location. These locations can be inside or outside but require “chance” buyers (chance meaning the consumer “might” pass by and purchase) Another major factor in the placement of these independent machines is the effort needed to transport and place each unit. This is typically done by manual labor with the use of a dolly. The units are of well known construction including a self-standing structure having user operated controls on a front surface thereof including at least one product selector control, a payment receiving and validating control, and a product vending outlet. The vending units require a supply of electricity, and the controls are configured use by persons standing on a surface at or about the same level as a surface on which the unit is located. In this latter regard, the current controls are located within an area of between about 10 inches and about 80 inches above a surface on which the unit is located, which is required as a result of the gravity feed nature of the machines, but which is not ergonomically desirable.
In large venues such as festivals, concerts, professional and recreational sporting events, or any other large venue, when vending has a presence, the known units are typically brought in individually, and require a great deal of effort for placement, usually for a short time frame, and can require a secondary enclosure for protection against weather and vandalism.
It is known to provide a mobile capability for transporting the known vending units. Reference in this regard, McCarthy U.S. Pat. No. 6,345,852, which discloses a mobile vending assembly including a wheeled structure having a bay for receiving a vending machine and a door for enclosing the bay and having an opening or openings for accessing vending controls of a vending machine located in the bay. An observed shortcoming of this wheeled assembly, however, is that it is configured to significantly raise the vending units above a ground or pavement surface on which the wheeled assembly is located, so as to undesirably position some of the user operable controls at relatively high positions above a surface on which the wheeled assembly is located, making the controls difficult to reach or unreachable by persons, particularly shorter persons and children. Another shortcoming is the effort required to fill or restock the vending machine, which requires opening of both the door of the enclosure and the vending machine itself. U.S. Pat. No. 6,345,852 discloses an alternative construction wherein the structure is directly located on the ground. However, this construction would require a fork lift or the like for movement from and onto a truck or trailer used for transporting it.
Thus, what is sought is mobile vending apparatus which can be transported to a desired venue such as a festival grounds, sports park, or the like, and is quickly and easily rendered operational for use by persons standing at ground level, including shorter persons and children, and which otherwise overcomes one or more of problems and shortcomings set forth above.